The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hydrangea that is grown as an ornamental shrub for its golden charteruse foliage. The new cultivar is known botanically as Hydrangea quercifolia and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Little Honey’.
‘Little Honey’ is a branch sport and was first discovered in 1999 in a cultivated area of Olympia, Wash. The inventor who first discovered ‘Little Honey’ operates a tissue culture lab in Olympia, Wash., where he produces and transports woody plants worldwide. ‘Little Honey’ was discovered as an individual branch sport of the parent plant Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Pee Wee’ (unpatented) in an individual crop of Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Pee Wee’ liners. The parent plant ‘Pee Wee’ is a cultivated dwarf form of the species and is not patented. Selection of ‘Little Honey’ was based on its unique golden chartreuse colored leaves.
Additionally, a branch sport of the same description was discovered in the United Kingdom the following spring of 2000, and originating from the same tissue cultured liner crop produced in Washington. The plant in Olympia, Wash. was utilized for the asexual reproduction of further plants. The plant discovered in the United Kingdom was returned to Washington for comparison and observation under a two-year post-entry quarantine. Both sports have been determined identical.
The distinguishing traits of ‘Little Honey’ are golden chartreuse foliage, dwarf habit, exceptional dark scarlet fall leaf color, and red winter stem color. ‘Little Honey’ is distinguishable from the parent plant by golden chartreuse summer leaf color, superior branching and moderate vigor. The summer foliage color of ‘Pee Wee’ is towards green (Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart No. 144A) and the summer foliage color of ‘Little Honey’ is golden (Royal Horticulatural Society Chart No. 151B). There are no Hydrangea varieties in existence, known to the inventor, that compare to the foliage of ‘Little Honey’.
The first asexual reproduction of ‘Little Honey’ was conducted in 2001 in a cultivated area of Olympia, Wash. The method used for asexual propagation was tissue culture. The characteristics of the new Hydrangea cultivar named ‘Little Honey’ have been determined stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations. The plant is also propagated by softwood cuttings and has reproduced true to type by this method also.